If you’re living with ADHD, finding the right role can be a difficult process, especially if you’re not sure where to start. There’s a lot of things that you need to consider when you’re looking for a good fit, and when you’re living with ADHD it’s ideal to keep certain things in mind to ensure that you’re happy and thriving in the role that you choose to go for. Below, some things to remember when looking for work and living with ADHD.
Happiness in the Workplace Starts With Three Things
Find a role that you love
There is no one-size-fits-all job for everyone with ADHD. Rather, it’s important to find a position that taps into your passions, and keeps you engaged, whether it’s working in health care, education, technology, or even hospitality or retail!
Make full use of your strengths
ADHD brains are complex. However, learning to work with these complexities can actually become a great strength. Only by being self-aware and taking the right steps for you to keep yourself on track and engaged can you maximise your potential. For example, here are some tips to make use of your strengths:
- With ADHD, work that offers dynamic tasks and fast-paced change can keep you from losing your motivation and engaged for longer. A
- DHD brains are creative and love to think out of the box, so finding industries that are built on problem-solving and aspire towards innovation can be the right fit, too.
- Continuous learning about a job you’re passionate about can help provide that steady challenge that keeps you interested and focused. Whether it’s the latest computer technology, or a breakthrough in your field, keeping your skills up to date not only puts more tools in your skill set, but also keeps you satisfied in the role you’ve chosen.
Accommodating your shortfalls
When assessing your strengths and weaknesses, it’s important to devise some creative and effective workarounds to help keep you engaged and motivated in any role. Some examples are:
- If you find that a noisy environment affects your attentiveness and distracts you, getting noise-cancelling headphones, or putting on white noise or ambient music can be an effective way to block out distractions. Asking for a quieter spot in the office can work too!
- If you find that it’s hard to manage your time, especially with heavy workloads and harsh deadlines, it’s important to supplement your scheduling with timers, alarms, and to-do lists. These time management tools keep you on track and help you stay on schedule, with reminders that prevent you from forgetting important tasks.
Trying to Find the Right Job
Job success for those living with ADHD only happens when you take into consideration your strengths and shortcomings, as well as your passions for the role. Get the right support, and don’t be afraid to ask for help, too!
If you’re after some help finding a job, the DES Employment Services program by APM can be the boost that you need. With resume editing, job sourcing, reskilling opportunities and job interview training on offer, these professionals can help deconstruct the process and give you a better understanding of your job search, and how to find work that suits your skills and needs.
